This blog is meant to display my coins/currency notes/stamps, in an informative manner, which would be useful to users in knowing about the history of the period when these coins/banknotes/stamps were minted/printed and events/persons they honour/depict, both on Indian and foreign coins/banknotes/stamps. The content would be more in the nature of a walk down memory lane through my collection/articles.

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Friday, 21 April 2017

483) Kotmi Sonar Crocodile Reserve/Park: A Special Cover brought out by Chhattisgarh Postal Circle, India Post on 29.01.2017 during a Philatelic Exhibition held at Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh State from 28th to 30th January 2017:

483) Kotmi
Sonar Crocodile Reserve/Park: A Special Cover brought out by Chhattisgarh
Postal Circle, India Post on 29.01.2017 during a Philatelic Exhibition held at
Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh State from 28th to 30th January
2017:

The Front of the Special
Cover

The above Special Cover
was issued during Bilaspex – 2017, a Philatelic Exhibition held at Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh
State from 28th to 30th January 2017. It showcases the “Crocodile
Park at Kotmisonar” with pictures of crocodiles lazing around in the grass or
sitting with their mouths open for birds that have a “symbiotic” relationship to
pick on little food particles/pieces stuck in their teeth. In the background is
a faint representation of the crocodile Reserve with its protective fencing.

The 500 Paise or Rs.5/-
stamp issued in 2017 itself, is of a
painting from a competition held on Nature themes and this prize winning entry
depicted on this stamp is of a mother elephant with a baby.

The Cancellation stamp is
of Bilaspur Head Office and is inscribed “KOTMI
SONAR MAGARMACH SANRAKSHAN GRAH” (in Hindi) and “HOUSE OF CROCODILE
CONSERVATION” (in English) and “BILASPEX 2017”. The Cancellation date is “29.01.2017”.

The Back of the above
Special Cover

It shows three pictures of
a) a crocodile emerging from the water body after a swim b) the entrance gate
of the Crocodile Reserve c) A bird’s eye view of the water body with its
protective fencing.

A bit of information is
provided on the Crocodile reserve both in Hindi and English which inter alia
states:

“Kotmi Sonar, a village in
Janjgir Champa District, about 40 kms. from Bilaspur is blessed with a
Crocodile Park developed in 2008 having a pond spread over 120 acres of land
with 8 acres of water area. It has over 200 fully grown crocodiles which is “one
of the major crocodile reserves” in the country. It aims at reducing
people-crocodile conflicts. Date of issue: 29.01.2017”.

Kotmi Sonar is a village
in Janjgir-Champa district, located about 40 km from Bilaspur in the Indian State
of Chhattisgarh, having a large number of ponds. The village’s gateway to fame lies
in the huge “Crocodile Park/Reserve” that is maintained here, which is
spread over 120 acres of land, of which about 8 acres is under water.

The pond has over 200
fully grown crocodiles and an undetermined number of smaller ones.

The village earlier had about
35 ponds, of which some have dried up till it finally had around 20 ponds left.

The
crocodiles earlier posed a threat to the villagers:

The crocodiles were
earlier found in almost all the ponds in the village and villages in its
vicinity and several cases were reported where the reptiles had strayed into
the village as well, but not many untoward incidents reportedly took place. There
were stray cases of the crocodiles waiting to “catch”/injure unsuspecting
villagers, particularly women who have been injured while washing clothes and
utensils by crocodile attacks.

This led to the villagers
living in constant fear of encountering a reptile along their path or in
unfrequented areas.

Setting
up a Crocodile Reserve/Park:

As such, the State
Government and District Administration decided to develop a Crocodile Reserve/Park
and spent around Rs.25.0 million to develop a chain of ponds in Kotmi Sonar
village with a view to reduce people-crocodile conflicts.

The chain of ponds has
been fenced in to prevent the crocodiles from straying into the village
area. Crocodiles from all the ponds were caught and transferred to the main pond
of the Reserve.

The
Crocodile Park – A major Reserve now:

The Park has since its establishment in 2008, grown
into one of the “major Crocodile Reserves” in the country and has since
developed into a tourist site-seeing area, where crocodiles at all stages of
their growth/life (from egg to adult) are kept in separate ponds/protective
shelters and are a researchers’ and scientists’ and visitors’ delight.

Now, whenever a small crocodile or a stray is
found in any of the other ponds, it is immediately transferred to the main pond
in the park to protect it from poachers.

The Forest Department
authorities are also helping to conserve and grow the crocodile population. The
Reserve serves as a “Crocodile Conservation Farm” as well. One can see reptiles
of all shapes and sizes, swimming, feeding on the huge quantity of fish that is
poured into the pond as the crocodile’s daily food or basking in the sun.

Beautification
of the Park, High channel fencing and Migratory Birds:

The Park has been
landscaped and beautified and its periphery has been covered with high channel
link fencing and a Walk-way to make it safe for visitors.

The water body in the
Reserve is also home to a large number of migratory birds.

About Me

I am Rajeev Prasad, a retired State Bank of India officer who had been collecting coins in a shoe box without having a serious interest. Only after quitting my job I got the time to take serious interest in developing my coin collection into a hobby. A pity, because I would have had more opportunity to lay my hands on more 'exclusive coins' while in the Bank. Anyway, as they say,better late than never. If you have any views to share with me regarding this blog , please contact me on my email rajeevprasad1208@gmail.com. I also have a twitter account @prasad_rajeev.
I had an opportunity to participate in a Documentary on the life and times of the 25 paise coin titled “Chal Basi Chavanni” (The four anna/twenty five paise coin passes away), aired by STAR NEWS on 29th and 30th June 2011. The programme helped in making many persons hold back onto their “chavannis”, the little round beauties, instead of returning them to Banks .